Direct Connect to Computer

plexibleplexible
in Installation, Antennas and Interference
So I solved the mobile power puzzle with a Lithium Ion battery and a dc/dc buck converter that seems to be pretty quiet. Now I need some help.

I love to DX while camping. Usually that means primitive camping. I want to run everything off of my battery. I have an old Acer tiny laptop I want to use. I bought a new oversized battery for it. I want to connect directly to the Kiwisdr.

I have a Hoo Too Nano wireless router. Unfortunately, it will not provide a wired connection in bridged mode. I wish the Green just had a WiFi chip, it would make things much simpler.

So, is anybody connecting directly to their PC? Have you found a wireless client that will hook to the Kiwi?

Comments

  • PowernumptyPowernumpty
    edited April 2019
    The easiest way in my experience is to use something like a Mikrotik hAP Lite, they are 5V micro-usb powered and very low power (I ran it through the USB port on the green for a while).
    That will do wireless, a few (100M) wired ports, DHCP and just about any other feauture a (£200) router can for about £20

    Obviously you could set the IP address on the BBG and Laptop to static then connect between the two with a cross over cable (straight may work haven't tried) but the hAP shortcuts so many issues and allow very fast adaptation to location changes (connect out via the WAN port).
    The other common wireless bridge is the TP-Link micro router and they work well but here in the UK they are more expensive than a hAP while offering less features and options.

    --Later--
    To check I wasn't telling people to overload the BBG USB port I fired up one of my hAP Lites RB941-2nD and set it to CPE bridged to my home wifi, works well and according to a USB power meter peaks at 230mA. With one device (a laptop) connected the running power is about 130mA @5V.
  • plexibleplexible
    I thank you for your responses Powernumpty. I think with every new device I am entitled to one dimwitted post. I figured it all out, and can connect with just an Ethernet cable, though not consistently. I dug out an old Cisco wireless router I had and everything is fine. I'll use it until I get a nano 5V one. The Cisco is 12V so I can run it off the battery.
  • PowernumptyPowernumpty
    To be honest after posting about the hAP I though it would be worth trying it myself for a bit, I tried to connect the hAP as bridge to an my main Mikrotik then to an Asus small router/AP, was not good with the Asus. I've had 100% success before with two Mikrotik devices but I think there is some setting I was missing connecting to a non-Mikrotik access point, from reviews on Amazon I see mention of forcing the channel width but I played settings for a short while but got frustrated.

    One thing that has bitten me twice now is the amount of time the hAP will run with from the linear supply with the power tuned off. I set it up to a wireless router upstairs then took it down to the Kiwi, with Asus AP, plugged it in glanced at the power lights while booting, went upstairs to my laptop to configure it, no luck with any setting on the access point, just couldn't ping it or see it connected.
    It was actually off, the power and networks lights were just running from the PSU capacitor (epic facepalm). At that point I figured I should take up gardening. I did power it up and try a couple of settings but by then the shame was beginning to burn.
  • ImDroidedImDroided
    Ethernet cross over cable from kiwi to laptop. run dhcp server on laptop to give kiwi a IP. No router needed and less power being consumed.
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